Journal
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
Volume 407, Issue 16, Pages 4616-4621Publisher
ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2009.04.041
Keywords
Critical external and internal Cu; concentrations; Root morphology; Cu precipitation in roots
Categories
Funding
- Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment (CRC-CARE) [3-3-01-05/6]
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Sabi grass (Urochloa mosambicensis (Hack.) Dandy) (a C4 species of Poaceae) is commonly used to revegetate disturbed sites in low-rainfall environments, but comparatively little is known regarding copper (Cu) toxicity in this species. A dilute nutrient solution culture experiment was conducted for 10 d to examine the effects of elevated Cu2+ activities ({Cu2+}) on the growth of Sabi grass. Growth was inhibited by high Cu in solution, with a 50% reduction in the relative fresh mass occurring at 1.0 mu M {Cu2+} for the roots and 1.2 mu M {Cu2+} for the shoots. In solutions containing 1.2-1.9 mu M {Cu2+}, many of the roots ruptured due to the tearing and separation of the rhizodermis and outer cortex from the underlying tissues. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that Cu-rich deposits were found to accumulate predominantly within vacuoles. Due to limited translocation of Cu from the roots to the shoots, phytotoxicity is likely to be more of a problem in remediation of Cu-toxic sites than is Cu toxicity of fauna consuming the above-ground biomass. (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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